Rotation Masters Flotation In Quietly Efficient Fashion

Working Without Wood, Cubs' Starters Among League's Best

When the news of Kerry Wood's torn elbow ligament was revealed last March, Kevin Tapani tried to talk panicky Chicagoans off the ledge.

Without Wood as their top gun, some assumed the rest of the Cubs' rotation soon would wilt, bringing the rest of the team down with it.

"I think we'll be fine," Tapani said at Cubs camp in Mesa, Ariz. "We just won't be able to do it in as dramatic a fashion as we did with (Wood)."

Two months into the 1999 season, Tapani's optimistic forecast appears to be close to the mark. There have been no dramatic 20-strikeout one-hitters, but the starting five has been the catalyst in the team's recent 12-4 stretch.

And to think, Tapani, Jon Lieber, Steve Trachsel, Terry Mulholland and Kyle Farnsworth earn a combined $13.85 million. That's less than half of what Arizona is paying its rotation this year and $3.15 million less than Kevin Brown's salary with the Dodgers.

Over the last 17 games, the Cubs' rotation has a combined 2.74 earned-run average. But it still doesn't get much respect because of the absence of a dominating force such as Wood.

"I'm sure that now, as the numbers pile up, there soon will be indications our starters have done just about as good as anybody's," manager Jim Riggleman said.

Better, in fact, than almost everyone. Going into Memorial Day, the Cubs' starters ranked second in the National League with a 3.92 ERA, trailing only Houston's 3.73. The NL average team ERA was an astonishingly high 4.55. Ironically, both teams were criticized in the off-season for not signing Randy Johnson, who fled the Astros for Arizona.

With a new pitching coach in Marty DeMerritt, new blood in Lieber and Farnsworth and a new/old starter in Mulholland, the Cubs' starters have improved considerably over '98, when their 4.54 ranked ninth in the league, even with Wood.

Tapani's 2.30 ERA is tops in the NL, with Mulholland sixth at 2.68 (including nine relief appearances) and Lieber 10th at 3.20. If this keeps up, they may become the best "Big Three" on a Cubs staff since the 1969 trio of Fergie Jenkins (21-15, 3.21 ERA), Bill Hands (20-14, 2.49) and Ken Holtzman (17-13, 3.59).

General Manager Ed Lynch's most important off-season acquisition was Lieber, 29, who came to the Cubs with a mediocre career record of 38-47 with a 4.36 ERA in Pittsburgh. Despite missing three starts after being hit in the right eye with a batting-practice throw April 24, Lieber ranks fifth in the league in fewest walks allowed per nine innings with 1.76 and third in strikeouts-to-walks ratio at 4.18 to 1.

"I'm working on my changeup this year and I'll be throwing it a lot more," Lieber said. "It's going to take hitters off my fastball and hopefully help my slider too."

Lieber earned the respect of his teammates when he went toe-to-toe with Riggleman and Lynch over the decision to put him on the disabled list after the freak eye injury. Lieber lost the argument, but proved how much he wants to compete. He has taken that attitude out to the mound with him, lasting seven or more innings in six of his eight starts.

"I don't remember a bad outing by him yet," Mark Grace said. "You knew when he was with Pittsburgh he'd have a better record if he was with a better team.

"This guy knows how to pitch. He works fast, throws strikes and is a pleasure to play behind."

Mulholland, able to return to the rotation on a full-time basis with the arrival of closer Rick Aguilera, has thrived. He accepts his role whether relieving or starting.

"It's the same task--getting hitters out," Mulholland said. "The circumstances are a little different, but still it's all about making your pitches."

The rotation has been so smooth of late that Jeremi Gonzalez's arrival won't be rushed. Gonzalez was taken off his rehab stint Monday and then optioned back down to Class AAA Iowa, where he already was rehabbing.

Until something breaks, there's no reason to fix the Cubs' rotation.

"It has been three weeks straight of our guys going seven or eight innings," Riggleman said. "If you do that, you can just about put it in the bank you're going to win ballgames."